Love and Flowers
by OhJay
Summary: Post AC. It's Valentine's Day, and Cloud wants to do something nice for Tifa, but can't figure out what...Good thing Zack gives him some advice. CloudxTifa, implied ZackxAerith.


_**Love and Flowers**_

Through out his life, there had been situations when Cloud Strife just didn't know what to do. When he was a boy growing up in Nibelheim the other kids didn't like him to well, and he was bullied by them constantly. Back then he told himself that he didn't really care what they all thought about him, but he was half lying to himself. There was one girl in the village that he cared about: Tifa Lockheart.

Even in his young age he developed a crush, and through the years his feelings just got stronger, but he didn't know how to express them. He thought if he could get into SOLDIER he could impress her, but when he didn't make it he was once again at a loss for what to do.

Now here he was again, twenty five years old, and completely stumped. Valentine's Day was coming up, and while normally he either wouldn't care, or just spend the day moping around since he didn't have a girlfriend, but this year he knew he had to do something special; he was with Tifa now after all.

He knew that the day was supposed to be special for couples, so he wanted to do something nice for her, but what? He sighed to himself, and finally stopped pacing about in his room trying to come up with ideas. It was times like this when he wished his friend Zack was here to give him advice, but he had passed on to the lifestream years ago, he and Aerith both.

Glancing at the clock on the wall he realized he had a few deliveries to make, he grabbed his keys and headed downstairs knowing that the drive would probably clear his head a little anyway.

"I'm going out" he told Tifa before giving her a quick kiss and heading out the door.

* * *

Feeling the cool air blowing on his face, and the fresh air usually helped him clear his head, but even by the time he was done with his deliveries he STILL didn't have any decent ideas, so instead of going directly back to Edge he drove to what remained of Midgar.

Things were very quiet as he walked into the old rundown church in what had been the Sector Five slums. He breathed in the strong scent of flowers that had miraculously grown back after they had pretty much been destroyed and drowned in the pool of water that was still there today, then sat down in one of the few pews that were still intact. He wasn't really religious, but he always felt calm and at peace when he came here.

Part of it could've been the fact that it WAS a holy place like Aerith once told him years ago, but it also reminded him of his two friends. He knew they had joined the planet now, but when he came here it felt like they were still with him. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes hoping to get some peace and quiet, but a few minutes later his meditating was interrupted.

The temperature in the room had dropped noticeably, and his instincts told him that he was no longer alone. He opened his eyes slowly and began to look around as his hand slowly reached for one of his swords, but he relaxed when he heard a voice he knew all to well:

"Boo" it said flatly next to him.

"Please warn me next time Zack" he said as he let go of his weapon and turned to face the ghost of his old friend.

"Oh but where's the fun in that?"

He sighed and shook his head, but also couldn't help smiling a bit. He never did change, even after his death.

"So what is it this time?" he asked. "Checking up on me again?" he guessed, knowing that was usually the reason for his frequent visits.

"Pretty much" Zack answered. "Aerith wants me to make sure you don't go all emo again or anything"

Yep, predicable as always.

"Would you mind if I asked you a question then?" he asked seriously.

"Sure"

"I don't know what to do for Valentine's Day." he explained. "Any ideas?"

"Hmm..." Zack pondered, folding his arms as a thoughtful expression formed on his face. "Well," he began "It depends..."

"Depends on what?" he asked.

"Have you guys had sex yet?" Zack asked in a serious tone making Cloud turn bright red.

"Zack!"

He thought he had gotten past all his friend's teasing, but apparently not.

"I'll take that as a 'no' then" he said, making Cloud groan and face palm.

Maybe he shouldn't have asked...

He sighed and leaned his head back starting to get a headache thanks to Zack, and started to look at the flowers when he realized that's what he could use.

"Do you think Aerith would mind if I picked a few of these?" he asked.

"Probably not, but while flowers are nice and stuff, keep in mind that they don't last very long"

"Well then Mr. picky ladies man First Class, what did YOU do for Valentine's Day?" he asked knowing that Zack had dated Aerith for a while back when they were alive.

"Well since she so happened to be the only one in town with access to flowers that was completely out for me" he explained. "So I took her above the plate and showed her the sunset"

Cloud sighed. That didn't really help his situation.

"But I did do something else too"

"And what was that?"

So Zack told him, and he decided that it was good enough.

* * *

"Good morning Tifa" he said on Valentine's Day as he brought her breakfast in bed on a tray. He had also picked a few of the flowers from the church and placed then in a small vase, but that wasn't all he did.

"Oh Cloud you're so sweet" she said.

He gently set it down in front of her, then she noticed the small thin nicely wrapped package along with it.

"Is this for me too?" she asked as she picked it up, and he nodded.

Noticing whatever was inside was delicately made of glass she undid the paper carefully, then pulled out a red rose crafted from glass.

"Oh Cloud, it's beautiful"

"I will love you until that rose dies Tifa"

_**Author's Notes**_

I was going to upload this tomorrow, but I'm having computer problems (again -_-) so I decided to put it up a day early. Happy Valentine's Day everyone! (Guys, don't be assholes ok?)


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